Stuff I Seen

sevenden.jpg

Every once in awhile I like to take a cruise around different parts of LH just to see que pasa, see what’s coming up, what went down, what needs to be paid attention. I bring my camera along as I always find a few things that catch my eye, usually something small and insignificant that nonetheless gives me pleasure from the very act of noticing. Mostly those things I notice have to do with some amount of human interjection into the landscape, a visual element that tells you in no uncertain terms that this was made by somebody and not pushed down by the corporate focus group. Usually its a chaotic mix of signs, objects, or general randomness but always it hints at a sense of living, a statement by a breathing individual. If you’ve ever traveled thru a suburb, or found yourself stuck in one, you might already be familiar with the polar opposite: the uniform but pristine landscape where all elements have been designed by committee and are thus rendered safe and appropriate. It’s a symmetrical terrain with a coordinated color scheme: pleasing to certain eyes but devoid of any of the wildness that still beckons to the human species. Anything that challenges that encroaching homogenization, I consider worthy of note!

These following pics don’t portend any special meaning, just stuff I captured during a day of seeing Lincoln Heights. For example, the hand painted sign above in front of a liquor store, it just reads “Flowers sold here”, very basic. But I appreciate how a sign that should read ” Se Venden Flores Aqui” gets altered by a healthy disinterest in the rules of language into “Seven Denflo Resaqui.”

paint.jpg

In keeping with the theme, some more callous disrespect for the rules of language!

nobeer.jpg

No Beer, No Fuckin Work! So sez the tshirt. Working class solidarity is strong in LH!

nomoney.jpg
click here for larger version

“I believe that money is not everything. Money does not buy happiness.” The most sincere and heartfelt statement from a Christian I’ve read in a long time. Too bad it reeks of sorry ass naivete.

masa.jpg

My favorite tortilleria, El Dorado, has put up some signs announcing their excellent products.

tardeada.jpg

A random sign on a palm tree.

ladypark.jpg

The white lady of Lincoln Park stands at attention, gracing the scenery.

ladyhands.jpg

Gah! Someone chopped off her hands! Maybe Nightingale was a terrorist and deserved it.

birdcage.jpg

An empty birdcage left on the side of a street. Empty birdcages are the best!

camp.jpg

Some homeless guy has set up a highly reflective camp across from the old Aztlan Cultural Foundation. Maybe he can turn it into a solar oven.

shark.jpg

Coritas seems to be under new management, again. At least they have a mural with a drinking and smoking shark, that lets you know they mean business!

crab.jpg

The beatnik looking crab even smokes or plays some sort of pipe, how hip is that?

vbs.jpg

Okay, that’s just freaky.

solomujer.jpg

Room for rent, to single woman.

sinvicios.jpg

Bedroom for rent for single person without vices in Cypress Park. Discrimination against the using class.

I think that’s all I had planned. Bye!

This entry was posted in Fotos, Fun with Words, Lincoln Heights. Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to Stuff I Seen

  1. Chuck Morse says:

    Nice work! And great intro too. Your blog actually makes me like living in a city again. Really. Granted, I live in NYC, three thousand miles away, but still. Like the slogan from the Middle Ages: “City air makes you free!”

  2. Diego says:

    Empowered by the son? Did I read correctly? Isn’t that Michael Jackson?

    My friend performed at Tardeada. She liked it a lot. Sadly, I wasn’t able to make it. Lincoln Park is nice, I only wish I lived nearer so I could be there everyday this summer. South Gate Park gets boring after a few years.

  3. artnoose says:

    Really I’m just posting because the anti-spam word was “anarqui” but I’ll let you know that I still peruse this blog from time to time to see what’s shaking in LH.

  4. EL CHAVO! says:

    I looked up the VBS thing, turns out it stands for Virtual Bible School, some sort of PowerPoint presentation to get kids hooked on “the Son”. Check it here: http://www.missionsresources.com/product/185.htm Man are they going to feel duped!

  5. I saw that sign about money, God, and happiness the other day in Happy Valley (on Griffin Ave). I read the whole thing, and it’s kind of funny and sad. Basically it amounts to: Money doesn’t matter, so don’t bother accumulating it. Instead, donate it to our church, and it will go back to the community. Some viral marketing for the donation basket. Plastered partially on top of it, on the same sign post, was one of those cryptic “TEEN JOBS” signs that are everywhere in this part of town. Sell your soul to God or make a deal with the devil!

  6. chimatli says:

    Someone should start a museum/website/archive of swapmeet t-shirts. I’ll donate my Chupacabras and “illegal alien” (an alien with chains around it’s grey wrists) tees I saved from the 90s. And for a special treat, I’ll even contribute my “99.9 % Chicano” hat.

  7. cindylu says:

    I had no clue what the flores sign was supposed to read. I guess you have a lot more experience reading crazy signs. My favorite is the drinking and smoking shark.

  8. chispa says:

    I like the pics of Bi*Rite and Lincoln Park. When I was little our family Dodge van was stolen from the Sears parking lot in Boyle Heights. We thought we would never see it again. On 4th of July my dad went to “La Chapalita” right near Bi*Rite to buy some carne para asar. Lo and behold, parked on Broadway missing llantas and seats was our Dodge van. It was a happy day for us b/c we got our van back =D

    Also, I have a distant memory of people swimming at the Lincoln Park “lake” when I was little. Does anyone else remember that or did I dream it?

  9. P-3000 says:

    thanks for the flashbacks

  10. Aleks says:

    Breaking News!!! El Corrita will be under new management… AGAIN!!!! The current ‘owner’ is giving up his lease very soon. Sucks!! His food was really good.

  11. Janlie says:

    Reading your blog entry made me think ‘wow, do people really see lincoln heights in a different light from what i see?’. Honestly though, I’ve lived here for 19 years, and I’m chagrined to admit that I can’t recognize some of the places in your pictures.
    Your blog entry made me realized just how I’ve dismissed so much of the area I’ve been calling home my whole life.
    Perhaps this week, I’ll take a long walk…

  12. Nate says:

    Here’s a D.I.Y. P.S.A. I saw in Lincoln Heights on Mission near the Park a couple weeks ago…

  13. Rolo says:

    are u sure that highly reflective camp is not a space ship?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *